Barfly Revisited II at Three Wolves is an outcome of Barfly Revisited exhibition at The Flying Monkey Cafe in December 2015, facilitated by artist, curator and cafe-owner Ricky Beresford in collaboration with Tony Hillier and contributing artists, writers and musicians. Drop by Cairns’ newest small bar for a sample of the finest slices of the far north’s rich artistic and alternative cultural history.

 

"During a 13-year history, in over 700 free weekly editions, Barfly established itself as an indispensable guide to Cairns’ cultural and entertainment scenes and as a conduit for alternative socio-political commentary. As such, it became a significant chronicler of local life in all its myriad forms.
Throughout its lifespan, the independent “street” publication provided staunch support to far north Queensland’s art community — and never more so than during the journal’s first incarnation.
In its early days, before economic survival dictated that the front page went to the highest bidder, Barfly devoted its weekly covers to the work of local artists. This showcase sans pareil provided a stepping-stone to wider recognition for Sue Ryan, Garry Andrews, Greg Dwyer and many other emerging artists of the time, including the cartoonist brothers, Dean and Kane Raybould.
Barfly Revisited II is primarily based on this period of the magazine’s history.

The idea of Barfly was hatched when two former Melbourne colleagues, Lisa Walton and Susan Frankel, after fortuitously reconnecting during a sojourn in Cairns, decided that the city was urgently in need of an arts and entertainment guide.

On March 6th 1990 the first edition of what was to become a cherished local institution hit the streets of Cairns. 141 issues later, on December 3rd 1992, the first incarnation of Barfly sadly hit the wall following financial difficulties. Some 18 months later, on June 30th 1994, it re-emerged as Son of Barfly. The last edition of The Fly, as it was then known, was published on July 21st 2005."

Tony Hillier

• Tony, is a journalist of long standing (and sitting), he contributed articles to all but a handful of the 700-odd editions of Barfly. He was the magazine’s editor during the bulk of its final decade.